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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22872793">can you see?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/heimdallwatches/pseuds/heimdallwatches'>heimdallwatches</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Wayhaven Chronicles (Interactive Fiction)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Denial of Feelings, Dreams and Nightmares, F/F, Feelings, Fluff, Kinda, Mild Blood, Mild Gore, Nightmares, Pre-Relationship, Texting</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 07:55:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,047</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22872793</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/heimdallwatches/pseuds/heimdallwatches</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Can you see?<br/>They're watching us. </p><p>They've come for me.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Detective/Ava du Mortain, Female Detective/Ava du Mortain</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>46</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>can you see?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She knows she's dreaming, because Emilia is wearing something different from that day and so is she. The carnival attractions aren't the same either; the Wall of Mirros isn't at the same place and the kid's Ballon Ride has flying cars instead of balloons - but the general layout is still recognizable in that freaky way dreams allow one to know where they are.</p>
<p></p><div>
  <p>Still, she lets herself be taken towards wherever the dream wants her. Ava has Emilia's arm interlinked with hers, the same way they had at the carnival fake date - but this time, the vampire isn't tense or worried. She's smiling, for some reason; her shoulders are relaxed and her walk has a different spring to it.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Emília is smiling too, holding a plushie bear that is almost too comically large. In the dream, Ava's got no clue where it came from, since all the tents seem to have been emptied of the prizes (and the people), but she knows that in reality, Emília had been proud of herself for finally winning a game that relied on her aim. The detective had carried that thing around and had looked particularly charming during the rest of the date-mission. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>The moment Ava opens her mouth to say something irrelevant, rain starts pouring even though there's no clouds on the sky. It's cold and it hurts her sensitive skin, and something starts to feel immensely off - especially the way the rain avoids the two of them, leaving them completely dry while drenching everything around. She turns to Emília and tries to make a comment on how weird that is, but - just like on that date - she feels herself being dragged towards the small space between two wooden cabins. This time she doesn't protest, because she knows what's coming next: Emília will press her against the wall and she will fluster and try to ask what the hell is she doing, but the detective will have such a vigilant and serious expression that she will be unable to speak. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Emília does look at her, the idiot bear now forgotten on the floor, soaked. However, the verging paranoid expression she was expecting on the detective's face is replaced by a curious, almost childlike one. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Can you see them?" Emília asks, her voice low. "They're watching us."  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Ava remembers that scene like a déja vu, even if it had turned out completely different from the first time. She tries to ask who exactly are "they", but apparently she can only follow the script written by her unconscious brain, and something totally different comes out of her mouth <em>(she knows now that they mean no harm, but her dream self isn't aware of it). </em></p>
</div><div>
  <p><em>"</em>They've come for me" the detective continues, her grip on Ava's shoulders a little bit too much. She had said similiar words on the original mission, and they still bring a sense of iminent danger just like they had done before. Still, she looks eerily calm. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"No," Ava answers, her voice sounding strange to her own ears. "They won't get any closer." </p>
</div><div>
  <p>She repeats the words she had previously said, but with more determination. Differently from that day, though, the words seem to have some effect on Emília and she nods slowly, smiling. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I believe you", she says, raising one of her hands and cupping Ava's cheek. There is no awkward tension this time, because Ava <em>also</em> knows what's coming up next - or what <em>should </em>have happened that day. She holds Emília's waist and leans down (just a little; the deteticve is pretty tall) to kiss her. Deeply.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>It's not the first time she realizes she wants to do this, and that she would have done it that day if they hadn't been interrupted. However, this is the first time she actually does it, even in dreams. Despite herself, it feels utterly amazing. She can't help but imagine how kissing Emília would feel like in real life. Would she be as soft as she is now, or is this just a projection of how she wants it to be like? Why does she even allow herself to fantasize it? </p>
</div><div>
  <p>The questions and the doubt are figments of her conscious self, thus they don't have any effect on how she acts on this realm. Dreams always do what they want. What <em>you </em>want. So she pulls Emília closer, not encountering the slightest tinge of resistance. She has no reason to close herself to this; she only needs to feel <em>her, </em>her steady hands and soft lips, that pleasant aroma of rosemary and something else, that exquisite taste of blood...</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Ava blinks and breaks the kiss, scared all of sudden. She tastes blood again and realises it's on her mouth, but it's not hers. Her heart immeaditaly jumps on her chest as she looks at Emília, her eyes wide.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Your nose—" she hears herself saying from far, far away.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Ava begins to feel tendrils of fear climbing up her spine even before she notices how the atmosphere has shifted completely. They're drenched now and it's dark. Has it been this dark before?  She feels scared even <em>before</em> the detective raises her hand to her nose and it comes out smudged in red. There's a thick line of blood running down her nostrils, mouth and chin, and the detective just keeps staring at it with a confused expression. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Besides, they're not at the carnival anymore, but instead there are dull, aging grey walls made of concrete. There's a dilapidated roof and the rain pours directly on both of them. They hear laughter and all the hairs on Ava's neck stand on end when she realises just whose it is. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"<em>He </em>did, though", the detective mentions with a calm voice that isn't her own, her deep green eyes piercing Ava's . "He got too close..."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>The detective isn't looking at her now, but instead she looks down at herself while blood starts pouring not only from her mouth, but also from open wounds on her neck, stomach and wrists. It flows quickly down her body, staining her hair and clothes so much that it looks like Emília had jumped in a pool of this thick liquid. Ava can't move, can't breathe. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Shit," Emília says and her voice is so low, so shaky. She takes one step backwards and coughs more red liquid, her hands uselessly trying to stem the bleeding but it doesn't stop. "I guess I made a bloody mess of things again."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Her eyes meet Ava's as she takes more vacilating steps back. There's a smile on her face when she coughs and more blood pools on the floor, on her face, her hands, and then she takes a deep breath but all that comes out of it is a gurgling, wet noise as she drowns and Ava can do nothing but watch—</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
  <p>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Ava wakes up with something stuck on her throat - either her breath or a scream, it makes absolutely no difference. Her heart beats so strongly on her chest that she feels it reverberating through her head and her whole body for actual minutes until she's able to calm down. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>The vampire sits down on her bed and runs a hand on her neck, taking a deep breath. What the hell was that? Of course she's had nightmares before, but nothing as intense as this one, and - as much as she would like to deny it - nothing that has messed with her feelings so badly. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>The shitshow with Murphy had happened way too many months ago and the carnival related mission was still going on well, so why does she still feel like this? As if Murphy was her responsibility? She <em>did</em> fail at protecting the detective at the time and it still brings a tightness to her chest every now and then, so apprarently she isn't as over it as she though she would be. And, more importantly, she isn't as unaffect by the detective as she wanted to be <em>at all. </em>As much as she tries to swallow it, to push down those feelings, they just keep emerging over and over again. The kiss, despite not being real, makes her heartbeat increase in a way that scares her, but not more than it does whenever she thinks about the detective bleeding like that. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>The thought of not being able to save Emília, of losing her so soon...</p>
</div><div>
  <p>With a sigh, she gets up and heads to the bathroom, where she washes her face and keeps staring at her reflection for a few moments, watching as all the remnants from the nightmare fade away. It takes a goddamn while before she's more or less back at her normal self, both physically and emotionally. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Seeing that it would be fruitless to try going back to sleep now, she goes back to the bedroom and gets properly dressed. Those little rituals - picking her usual clothes, polishing and tying up her boots - are something that she'd learned a long time ago and have always helped her ground herself. Still, this nagging feeling still puts her hair on end. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Keeping Emília safe is the job that has been given to her, but it has proven to be a lot more difficult than she had imagined. Not that the detective can't take care of herself - she is tough and knows how to hold her ground pretty well - but still, she's just so... freaking stubborn. Nothing Ava says enters her system, and, if it does, she makes a point to completely ignore it. One could ask her repeatedly to stay at home for her own safety, and then she would most likely tell them to fuck off and just keep doing her thing. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Even behind the mask she wears, Ava can't help but worry.  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Shaking her head, the vampire gives up and simply grabs her phone. She searches for the detective's number - which she does not know by heart, why would she even do? - and starts typing "Good morning, detective". Then, after some consideration and feeling very silly, she adds, "just checking in." </p>
</div><div>
  <p>She presses send before she can regret it, cringing internally. <em>It's my job</em>, she keeps repeating in her mind, as if this was a way of distancing herself from her own annoying feelings. <em>I'm just doing my job. </em></p>
</div><div>
  <p>The screen blinks after a few seconds, surprising her. She wasn't exactly hoping for an answer, but she's glad she received one. </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <strong>
      <em>? </em>
    </strong>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <strong> <em>it's 5 am dude wtf</em> </strong>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
  <p>Ava hadn't really payed attention to the time, but it was indeed that early. She smiles at the way Emília typed the message, being able to clearly imagine her grumpy, sleepy face. She swallows down the wave of excitement it brings. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"Forgive me, detective, I didn't mean to wake you up."</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Then, after a while, the screen blinks again:</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em> <strong>yeah wtv</strong> </em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em> <strong>im cool tho</strong> </em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <strong><em>how r u?</em> </strong>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"I am good", she replies, a wave of relief washing over her as she does. She sits on the edge of her bed and smiles at her phone when the device vibrates and shows more messages. </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <strong>
      <em>y r u up so early? </em>
    </strong>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <strong> <em> patrolling? </em> </strong>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>The vampire has to make some effort to actually read past all the abbreviations and she feels intensely old. Farah would probably laugh at her. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>"No, I'm not. It's Morgan's turn today." </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <strong> <em> cool </em> </strong>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>  </em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Ava is about to reply, telling her to go back to sleep, when her phone bleeps again. She really wasn't expecting Emília to be so responsive (and civil) at this time in the morning. What is going on? Not taht she is exactly complaining, though,</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em> <strong>hey wanna grab some breakfast?</strong> </em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em> <strong>at a DECENT time where ppl r actually awake? </strong> </em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em> <strong>i know u don't eat but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯</strong> </em>
  </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>How the hell did she write that last thing? Ava lets out a fond chuckle and her fingers work before her brain as she finds herself typing "Yes, sure. Meet you at Hayley's, 8AM?"</p>
</div><div>
  <p>The phone immediately lights up with the reply: <strong>yes ma'am</strong> and a<strong> :* .</strong></p>
</div><div>
  <p>The smile grows wider on her lips and this time she doesn't try to hide it. There's no one else here to see it, anyway. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>She gets up and streches, glancing at the silent clock on the wall. Five thirty AM.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Only two and a half hours to go. </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello again!<br/>As always, the fic hasn't been beta'd, but the scenes were bugging me and I had to write this.The events take place after the fake-dating mission on the carnival (as I hope that nothing really serious had happened there, lmao).<br/>I hope you've enjoyed!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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